The Latest: Senator calls for elections, ethics resignations

Dec. 07, 2017

A Republican state senator is calling for the resignations of top officials at the Wisconsin ethics and elections commissions.

The call from Republican Sen. Steve Nass comes in reaction to a report from Attorney General Brad Schimel. His report lays blame with the former Government Accountability Board for its handling of a secret investigation into Gov. Scott Walker.

The GAB was disbanded by the Republican Legislature in reaction to the John Doe investigation in 2015 and replaced with separate commissions on elections and ethics.

Nass is seeking resignations of the directors and chief attorneys at each of the agencies. He says anyone associated with the former GAB is unfit to serve in the new commissions.

Spokesman for the commission did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

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9:26 a.m.

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel defends not asking a journalist to reveal who leaked him documents collected in the investigation of Gov. Scott Walker's campaign.

Schimel spokesman Johnny Koremenos said Thursday that Schimel "declined to take this aggressive and potentially coercive action out of respect" for the reporter's free speech rights.

Schimel's investigation determined the leak originated from the former Government Accountability Board, but he could not conclude who did it. He recommended disciplinary action against nine people, but no criminal charges.

Koremenos says the Guardian is known for accepting anonymous leaks and protecting the identity of the leakers. He says it is also known for using technology that masks the ability of law enforcement to determine the source of the leak.